ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. net — after costs
  6. kick — in football
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bass — low music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. net — for catching
  14. lie — to recline
  15. net — in sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com